.jpg)
Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries
Join columnist and garden designer Mary Stone in sharing Dilemmas, Delights, & Discoveries in the Garden of Life.
Episodes
252 episodes
Ep 252 - Edible vs. Ornamental Rhubarb — Kindness Helps Heal
This week, from the screen porch, Mary Stone shares reflections on edible versus ornamental rhubarb—both unusual, delightful, and deer-resistant additions to the garden. She also shares stories of rhubarb custard pie, overwintered parsley, bloo...
.jpg)
Ep 251 - A Changing Gardens Teaches What Belongs
What a Changing Garden Teaches - Finding What BelongsSometimes what we see as a problem is simply a message.While visiting a longtime client in Sparta, New Jersey, Mary Stone reflects on shifting conditions i...
Ep 250 - Weeping Cherry Dilemmas: Trees Tell a Story
A weeping cherry tree begins to “bleed,” revealing what lies beneath—from soil stress to planting missteps. Plus, seed-starting tips and a reflection on where we’re truly meant to grow. In this episode, I share what gummosis can tel...
Ep 249 - Living Mulch: Layering with Native Plants
Replacing mulch with living layers that nourish soil, support wildlife, and gently teach us patience.What if you could stop mulching—and let plants do the work instead?In this episode, we explore “living mulch” with nativ...
Ep 248 - Healing After Winter: In the Garden—and in Life
After a harsh winter, Mary Stone reflects on healing in the garden and in life—sharing spring pruning tips, plant care insights, and a humorous tale of “hotdog flies”—all woven with a gentle reminder to slow down, notice beauty, and make room f...
Ep 247 - Nothing Is Wasted: Leaf Mold, Mulch & Letting Go
As spring unfolds, I find myself reflecting on what remains, what falls away, and what—over time—returns to nourish us again.In this episode, I share a walk in the woods that took an unexpected turn, along with listeners’ questions ab...
Ep 246 - Early Spring Tending: What to Keep, What to Clear
Sometimes tending isn’t about removing—it’s about redistributing, restoring, and making space for what’s ready to grow.As winter loosens its grip, early spring invites us to tend—clearing what’s too heavy, redistri...
Ep 245 - What the Roadside Reveals: Lesson of Belief
A roadside walk becomes a lesson in tending what doesn’t belong—and trusting what quietly blooms.From plogging to snowdrops, this episode explores how small actions and nature’s signs guide us back to hope, healing, and the “lesso...
Ep 244 - A Late Winter Walk to Remember
Some walks stay with us long after they end.A quiet rainy walk through the late-winter woods becomes a meditation on healing, hope, and nature’s wisdom. On a misty morning, Mary Stone and her faithful companion, Jo...
Ep 243 - Native vs. Invasive: Who Decides?
What does “native” really mean — and who decides?In this episode of Garden Dilemmas, Mary Stone explores native vs. invasive plants, urban gardens, biodiversity, and ecosystem balance.From dandelions to the ...
Ep 242 - Inviting Beneficial Garden Guests
Do hard winters curb garden pests? A listener’s question about whether cold weather reduces “bad bugs” leads to a deeper conversation about beneficial insects, biological control, and sustainable pest management. In this epis...
Ep 241 - Reflections in the Garden of Life
On a slowly thawing winter day, Mary Stone reflects on the relationship between shadows and reflections—in nature, in garden design, and in the tender landscape of the heart.From Jolee's curious moment at the storm door to the sci...
Ep 240 - Nature’s Shadows, Outlines of Love
In winter’s long light, shadows reveal more than darkness—they outline memory, love, and quiet hope. Mary reflects on Groundhog Day, Peter Pan’s lost shadow, Jung’s shadow self, and the beauty of moonlit snow, weaving garden wisdom with ...
Ep 239 - What Yellow Leaves Teach Us
What Yellow Leaves Teach UsTending houseplants—and hearts—through seasons of change.Yellow leaves on a fiddle-leaf fig often point to watering issues—but they can also offer deeper lessons. In this episode, ...
Ep 238 - Hope Takes the Form of a Tree
In this episode, Mary Stone reflects on the quiet wisdom of trees after receiving the New Jersey Tree Survey from the Arbor Day Foundation. She explores how trees support mental and emotional well-being, the realities behind tree-planting campa...
Ep 237 - Roofs to Roots: Reviving Houseplants
Mary Stone discusses the benefits of using rainwater and snowmelt for indoor plants and how to revive houseplants in duress. She explores the quiet wisdom of water through stories of Christmas cacti, Jolee's water bowl, and...
Ep 236 - What We Release, What We Grow
Mary Stone reflects on releasing what no longer serves us and setting intentions that grow in their own time, inspired by nature's rhythms and a New Year water ceremony hosted by Rev. Dr. Christina Tillotson. Through garden metaphors and person...
Ep 235. What Nature and Gardens Gifted Us
Mary Stone reflects on lessons learned from a year of observation in the garden and wild places beyond it. From copperheads and moths to healing land and personal change, she explores how slowing down, trusting nature, and paying attention to w...
Ep 234. Stillness Teaches Growth Through Nature
Mary Stone reflects on the wisdom of stillness as an essential part of growth. Through nature’s rhythms and garden observations, she explores how healing and transformation often unfold unseen, offering a gentle preview of themes in Part Two...
Ep 233. When the Garden Teaches Letting Go
A winter garden project leads Mary Stone to reflect on invasive plants, memorial trees, and the tender wisdom of knowing when it’s time to let go—both in gardens and in life.This episode is a gentle reminder that healing, like gardening,...
Ep 232. Late Season Tasks into Décor and Healing
Mary Stone reflects on late-season garden projects, including the removal of old telephone poles and the careful harvesting of boulders for new retaining walls—done with deep respect for the surrounding ecosystem. She shares tips for ...
Ep 231. Three Seasons Tribute to Ongoing Growth
Mary Stone reflects on the life and legacy of her dear friend and design colleague, Marty Carson, who recently passed away. She shares memories of their collaboration and the impact of Marty's wisdom and generosity on the gardening community, i...
Ep 230. Lessons from a Late No-Till Garden
In this episode, Mary Stone shares the surprising gifts of her late-season vegetable garden and highlights the benefits of No-Till gardening. She walks through ripening green tomatoes indoors, saving seeds for next year and puttin...
Ep 229. Flocking Together - Wisdom from Grackles
Mary Stone shares a breathtaking encounter with a flock of grackles while visiting the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice in Fredon, NJ. Their synchronized flight inspires a reflection on the quiet wisdom of nature and the beauty of unit...
Ep 228. Promises That Live on Beyond Seasons
Mary Stone shares an update on her friend and design colleague, Marty Carson, who is now in hospice care in Florida. At the same time, with a heavy heart, she shares news of the closure of the Karen and Quinlan Home for Hospice in Fredon, NJ,&n...